Seattle mayor defends ousting police chief after festival shootout
Wilson said communication failures after the festival shooting led her to ask Barnes to resign, and the city is reviewing police procedures.
- On Friday, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson defended removing Police Chief Shon Barnes as "the right decision at the right time," citing communication failures following a fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival last weekend.
- Wilson attributed the leadership change to a five-hour delay between a 6:30 p.m. social media alert and an 11 p.m. press conference on Sunday, plus inaccurate information claiming two suspects were arrested when only a 15-year-old was in custody.
- Downtown Seattle Association CEO Jon Scholes credited Barnes with reducing downtown crime, warning it is "imperative" to maintain progress, while City Council Chairman Bob Kettle noted Seattle has cycled through four police chiefs in two and a half years.
- Deputy Chief Andre Sayles was named interim chief and committed to boosting festival staffing for the remainder of summer, while Wilson announced a national search for a permanent replacement.
- Investigators continue searching for additional suspects in the gang-related shooting, as City Council President Joy Hollingsworth called the timing of the resignation "reckless" given the active investigation remains ongoing.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Andre Sayles named Seattle’s new interim police chief
Seattle police Deputy Chief Andre Sayles has been named as the interim replacement for Chief Shon Barnes, who resigned on Thursday following controversy over the department’s response to Sunday’s mass shooting at Seattle Center.Sayles began his law enforcement career more than 20 years ago with the Beloit Police Department in Wisconsin, rising to the rank of chief in 2021. He served 12 years on the department’s SWAT team, including four as team …
Bizpac Review
ussanews.comSeattle’s black police chief forced out over shooting chaos attributed to mayor
“Woke” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has forced out her city’s black police chief after blaming him for a shooting critics say is her fault. Last Sunday, gunfire […]
Seattle's black police chief forced out over shooting chaos attributed to mayor · American Wire News
“Woke” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has forced out her city’s black police chief after blaming him for a shooting critics say is her fault. Last Sunday, gunfire erupted outside the Seattle Center Armory during the Bite of Seattle festival. Three people were killed and four hospitalized. At the time of the shooting, then-Police Chief Shon Barnes was in Dallas attending the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual conferenc…
Everett Post
The Center SquareSeattle mayor defends decision to seek police chief's resignation
(The Center Square) - Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said Friday that communication breakdowns that left the public waiting for hours for information on a food festival shooting that left three dead last weekend were part of the reason she asked former Police Chief Shon Barnes to resign earlier this week. Wilson said the breakdowns that occurred Sunday night were unacceptable after the shooting at the Bite of Seattle Festival at the Seattle Center. …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
